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The subject of survival of consciousness after physical death requires serious study. Survival of bodily death in whatever form is of enormous importance. Parapsychology mainly studies into what is called the psi ability, not mediumistic ability. Mediumistic communications in no way prove survival after death, but should become part of well-funded research.
The survival issue needs to be investigated.
We need to eliminate some of the bad reading practices highlighted by a forum for skeptical and critical thinkers.
I am personally thankful of the work certain skeptics do.
I always keep my mind open to different views.
1. Redirection – pushing the focus of the “reading” in a direction desired by the reader.
2. Disclaimer – a statement made by the reader, which absolves the reader of “misses”.
3. Insistence – repeating a guess even if it is not “validated” by the sitter.
4. Pressure – placing pressure on the caller to “validate” any given guess.
5. Shifting the Burden – making the sitter responsible for connections to the guess or making a “hit”.
6. Subtle Questions – questions in the form of a statement, sometimes followed by “Okay?” or “All right?”
7. Direct Questions – no guessing, just plain direct questions asked of the reader
8. Baiting/Fishing – a statement made by the reader intended to prompt a response from the sitter.
9. Misdirection – a statement made by the reader to confuse the sitter.
10. Platitudes – banal statements about spirituality, forgiveness, holiness, etc.
11. Inflating the Chances – making a statement that is statistically very likely to be true, and/or adding to that statement with another guess with high chances of being correct.
I know that in some of the readings I have been privileged to give, I have unintentionally fallen foul of some of the above. If I have been given the feeling of a bad knee, I must pass that information on even though the chances are extremely high of getting a hit with that type of statement. Nearly every one I know has a doggy knee.
I am lucky because I don’t need to earn a living from this ability. The pressure isn’t the same. The need to please a paying audience so I can continue to ride the circuit isn’t there.
Organisations have and do try to control the way mediums work. The problem is that whilst some people are genuine others are not. The human animal is floored.
Those of us who work in this field can only try to undertake our readings in the best way we can whilst being aware of the pitfalls. I for one try hard to pass on the information I am given in the best way possible.
Providing a reading that could be classed as adequate is easer said than done at the best of times, without adding obstacles. However I ask that if you are a practicing medium would you consider attempting to avoid some of the pitfalls shown above. We need to promote serious scientific study into this subject.
Thank you
Derek
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